NAMPA, Idaho - Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson held a field hearing in Nampa, Idaho, to review U.S. agriculture policy as the Committee begins the process of writing the 2012 Farm Bill. This is the second in a series of hearings scheduled across the country to consider new ideas regarding Federal food and farm policy. Six Members of Congress attended today’s hearing and heard testimony from ten witnesses on a variety of farm policy issues.
“Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in Idaho produce a wide variety of agricultural products, and their experiences with so many of the programs authorized by the Farm Bill are essential as we move forward with a new Farm Bill," said Chairman Peterson. “I am impressed by the innovation and ingenuity that we have seen from Idaho producers, and their input will help us develop a Farm Bill that will provide the best possible safety net."
According to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics, Idaho ranks first in the nation among states growing potatoes and second in harvested vegetables for sale. More than 900,000 acres of land in Idaho are enrolled in USDA conservation programs.
“We must make sure that our producers are equipped with an adequate safety net to provide Americans with the food and fiber they need," said Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas of Oklahoma. “As we travel throughout the nation, the feedback we receive from our producers will give us a good sense of how current farm bill programs work in practice and what improvements need to be made."
About 100 members of the community attended the hearing, including local agriculture producers and leaders. House Agriculture Committee Members attending the hearing included: Chairman Peterson, Ranking Member Lucas, Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota, Congressman Jim Costa of California, and Congressman Walt Minnick of Idaho. Congressman Mike Simpson of Idaho, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee, also attended the hearing.
“Idaho agriculture has long been innovative and at the forefront of the industry. I am pleased that our leaders had the opportunity to share their experiences and showcase the diversity of the Idaho agricultural community at today’s hearing," Congressman Minnick said. “Our farmers are being recognized for their successes. It is important that the people who are impacted by the Farm Bill shape its future. Today, more than ever, our farmers face unprecedented pressures. Hearing from them early is critical to getting the next farm bill right."
“Agriculture plays a critical role in our state’s economy, and the Farm Bill significantly impacts the ability of Idaho farmers to succeed in the present and plan for the future," said Congressman Simpson. “I am hopeful that today’s hearing provided the House Agriculture Committee with good insight into how these programs impact our state’s potato, sugar, grain, dairy, and cattle industries, as well as Idaho’s specialty crops. I have always appreciated Chairman Peterson’s insistence that our nation’s farm policy be developed in a bipartisan way, and I look forward to working with him to craft a Farm Bill that provides a firm footing for Idaho agriculture in the years to come."
Written testimony provided by the witnesses is available on the Committee website: http://democrats-agriculture.house.gov/hearings/index.html. A full transcript of the hearing will be posted on the Committee website at a later date.
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Witness List:
Panel I
Mr. Fred Brossy, organic wheat, bean, potato and hay producer, Shoshone, Idaho
Mr. Scott Brown, wheat and barley producer, Soda Springs, Idaho
Mr. Doug Gross, potato producer, Wilder, Idaho
Mr. Kelly Henggeler, apple, plum and peach producer and packer, Fruitland, Idaho
Mr. Galen Lee, sugarbeet, mint, asparagus, hay, grain, corn and cattle producer, New Plymouth, Idaho
Mr. Brian Kernohan, forestry, Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
Panel II
Mr. Ron Bitner, winegrape producer and vintner, Caldwell, Idaho
Mr. Charlie Lyons, cattle producer, Mountain Home, Idaho
Mr. Adrian Boer, dairy producer, Jerome, Idaho
Ms. Cindy Siddoway, lamb producer, Terreton, Idaho
Source: House Committee on Agriculture
